This guide walks you through every step of formatting a Microsoft Word document for Amazon KDP paperback upload. Click each step to expand the detailed instructions.
Set Up Page Size and Margins
▼The first and most critical step is setting your Word document to the correct page size and margins for your chosen KDP trim size.
In Microsoft Word:
1. Go to Layout → Size → More Paper Sizes
2. Set Width and Height to your trim size (e.g., 6" width, 9" height)
3. Go to Layout → Margins → Custom Margins
4. Set the following margins:
| Setting | Value (6×9 example) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Top | 0.5" (12.7mm) | Minimum 0.25", we recommend 0.5" |
| Bottom | 0.625" (15.9mm) | Minimum 0.25", we recommend 0.625" |
| Inside (Gutter) | See calculator | Depends on page count — use our [Margin Calculator](/guides/kdp-margin-calculator/) |
| Outside | 0.5" (12.7mm) | Minimum 0.25", we recommend 0.5" |
| Gutter | 0" | Set to 0 — use Inside margin instead |
| Multiple pages | Mirror margins | Essential for left/right page layout |
Choose and Configure Fonts
▼Font choice significantly affects readability and the professional feel of your book. Here are our recommendations:
| Genre | Body Font | Size | Heading Font |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiction / Novels | Garamond, Palatino, Georgia | 11–12pt | Same as body or complementary serif |
| Non-Fiction | Calibri, Helvetica, Minion Pro | 10.5–11pt | Bold variant or contrasting sans-serif |
| Memoir | Garamond, Baskerville | 11–12pt | Same family, larger size |
| Poetry | Garamond, Palatino | 11pt | Italic or small caps variant |
| Children's | Century Schoolbook, Sassoon | 14–16pt | Fun, readable display font |
To set your default font in Word:
1. Select all text (Ctrl+A)
2. Go to Home → Font
3. Choose your font and size
4. Click Set As Default → All documents based on this template
Set Up Paragraph Styles
▼Using Word's built-in styles ensures consistency and makes generating a Table of Contents possible. Modify these styles:
Body Text / Normal style:
• Line spacing: 1.3 (fiction) or 1.15 (non-fiction)
• First line indent: 0.3" (fiction) or 0" with space after (non-fiction)
• Space before: 0pt
• Space after: 0pt (fiction) or 6pt (non-fiction)
• Alignment: Justified
Heading 1 (Chapter titles):
• Font size: 18–24pt
• Space before: 72pt (starts chapter 1/3 down the page)
• Space after: 24pt
• Page break before: Yes
• Keep with next: Yes
Heading 2 (Subheadings):
• Font size: 14–16pt
• Space before: 18pt
• Space after: 6pt
• Keep with next: Yes
Configure Headers and Footers
▼Professional books use headers (running heads) to show the book title and chapter name, and footers for page numbers.
Setting up different odd/even headers:
1. Double-click in the header area to open Header & Footer Tools
2. Check "Different Odd & Even Pages"
3. Check "Different First Page"
4. On even (left) pages: Add book title, left-aligned
5. On odd (right) pages: Add chapter title, right-aligned
6. Leave the first page of each chapter header blank
Page numbers:
• Position: Bottom centre or bottom outside corner
• Start numbering from 1 on the first page of Chapter 1
• Front matter (title page, copyright, TOC) uses Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) or no numbers
• Use section breaks to control numbering independently
Create Front and Back Matter
▼Professional books include standard front and back matter pages. Here is the recommended order:
Front matter (before Chapter 1):
1. Half-title page — Book title only, centred
2. Title page — Full title, subtitle, author name
3. Copyright page — Copyright notice, ISBN, publisher, "Printed in Great Britain"
4. Dedication (optional)
5. Table of Contents
6. Foreword/Preface (optional)
Back matter (after final chapter):
1. Acknowledgements (optional)
2. About the Author
3. Also By — List your other books
4. Index (non-fiction only)
Copyright © 2026 [Your Name]
All rights reserved.
ISBN: [Your ISBN]
Published by [Publisher Name]
Printed and bound in Great Britain
First published 2026
Insert Section and Page Breaks
▼Section breaks are essential for controlling headers, footers, and page numbering independently in different parts of your book.
Where to use section breaks:
• Between front matter and Chapter 1 (to change page numbering)
• Between each chapter (if you need different headers per chapter)
• Before back matter (to change or remove headers)
How to insert:
1. Place cursor at the end of the section
2. Go to Layout → Breaks → Section Breaks → Next Page
3. For chapters starting on right-hand pages: use Odd Page section break
Page breaks vs Section breaks:
| Break Type | Use For | Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Page Break | Starting a new page within a section | Ctrl+Enter |
| Section Break (Next Page) | New section on next page | Layout → Breaks |
| Section Break (Odd Page) | New section on next right-hand page | Layout → Breaks |
Generate Table of Contents
▼If you have used Heading styles consistently, Word can automatically generate a page-numbered Table of Contents.
To generate a TOC:
1. Place your cursor where you want the TOC
2. Go to References → Table of Contents
3. Choose a built-in style or select Custom Table of Contents
4. Set "Show levels" to 1 (chapters only) or 2 (chapters + subheadings)
5. Ensure "Use hyperlinks" is unchecked for print
6. Click OK
To update the TOC after changes:
Right-click the TOC and select "Update Field" → "Update entire table"
Export as KDP-Ready PDF
▼The final step is exporting your Word document as a PDF that meets Amazon KDP's requirements.
In Microsoft Word:
1. Go to File → Save As (or Export)
2. Choose PDF as the file type
3. Click Options and ensure:
• "ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A)" is checked
• "Bitmap text when fonts may not be embedded" is unchecked
4. Set quality to "Standard (publishing online and printing)"
5. Save
Verify your PDF:
• Open the PDF and check all pages look correct
• Verify fonts are embedded (File → Properties → Fonts in Adobe Reader)
• Check page size matches your trim size exactly
• Ensure page count is even (add a blank page at the end if odd)
When to format Word for KDP yourself
Microsoft Word is genuinely capable of producing a KDP-acceptable paperback PDF, provided the page setup, styles, and export options are all configured correctly. Authors who succeed with Word usually share three traits:
- The book is mostly text with simple chapter structure.
- The author is comfortable using Word styles rather than direct formatting.
- The book is short enough (under 300 pages) that small drift errors do not compound.
If any of those is missing, the time you spend fighting Word usually exceeds the cost of a professional formatter.
When a professional formatter saves time
Word starts to break down on books that have any of the following:
- More than 350 pages of body text.
- More than ten in-line images or any image that needs to span a full page.
- Tables that need to fit precisely within trim margins.
- A glossary, index, or end-notes that must stay synchronised across re-flows.
- A target trim size that Word does not handle smoothly (e.g. 5.06" × 7.81").
For books like these, our formatting service is usually faster and produces a cleaner final file.
Quick reference — Word settings for KDP
| Setting | Recommended value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Page size | Custom, matching KDP trim (e.g. 6" × 9") | Triggers automatic trim check at upload |
| Gutter field | 0 | Word doubles up if both Gutter and Inside are set |
| Inside margin | From Margin Calculator | Required minimum, varies by page count |
| Mirror margins | On | Essential for bound book layout |
| Font | Garamond, Palatino, or Georgia | All Windows fonts safe to embed |
| Body size | 11–12pt | Below 9pt fails KDP's readability check |
| Line spacing | 1.15 (non-fiction) or 1.3 (fiction) | Standard for trade paperbacks |
| PDF export | PDF/X-1a:2001 if available, otherwise PDF/A | Required for fastest review |
Common Word-to-KDP mistakes
- Setting the Gutter field instead of the Inside margin (doubles the gutter).
- Using multiple Enter presses instead of page breaks (shifts when re-flowed).
- Forgetting to embed fonts on PDF export (rejection guaranteed).
- Leaving track-changes accept/reject markers in the file.
- Using soft hyphens or non-breaking spaces from earlier Word versions.
- Generating the TOC before the manuscript is final (numbers shift).
- Exporting with hyperlinks left enabled for a print-only paperback.
- Using copyrighted screenshot images without a written licence.
Run through this list before exporting your PDF — these mistakes account for the majority of Word-to-KDP rejections in our audits.
How to verify your PDF is KDP-ready
Once Word has produced your PDF, do three checks before uploading:
- Open in Adobe Reader and confirm File → Properties → Fonts lists every font as "Embedded Subset".
- Check page count is even and within KDP's range for your trim size.
- Run a free Readiness Score — it catches font-embed, page-count and margin issues in under 30 seconds.
A file that passes all three is almost always cleared by KDP automated review on the first attempt.
Frequently asked questions
Do I set the Gutter field or the Inside margin field in Word?
Set the Gutter field to 0 and put your gutter value in the Inside margin field. Using both will double the inside margin and push your text away from the spine.
Why does Word's built-in PDF export not produce a fully KDP-compliant file?
Word's PDF export does not generate a true PDF/X-1a:2001 file. For a fully compliant PDF, use Adobe Acrobat with the "PDF/X-1a:2001" preset, or run the file through a dedicated conversion tool.
What body font size should I use for a fiction paperback?
For fiction, use a serif font like Garamond, Palatino, or Georgia at 11–12pt with line spacing of around 1.3. Non-fiction typically uses 10.5–11pt sans-serif body text.
How do I make chapters start on right-hand pages in Word?
Use an Odd Page section break (Layout → Breaks → Section Breaks → Odd Page) before each chapter. Word will automatically insert a blank page where needed so every chapter opens on a right-hand (recto) page.
Skip the formatting headache
Upload your Word document and we will deliver a KDP-ready PDF and Kindle EPUB — from £69.
Format my book →Further reading from official sources
- KDP — Paperback manuscript formatting — the official Word-upload pipeline.
- KDP — Kindle Create help — Amazon's official Word-to-Kindle tool.
